The present invention is directed to an accurate, yet inexpensive, portable fish weight tabulation board, and to the method of utilizing same in a competitive atmosphere. Such device is a particularly valuable tool to a competitive fisherman, where accuracy of a catch and time are critical.
The sport of competitive fishing has experienced significant growth in recent years. Competitive tournaments with substantial prizes are being held throughout the country. The number of participants grows each year and the public interest has grown accordingly. Due to increased interest by sponsors, the size of prizes available to the winners of the competitions has grown similarly. The basis of competitive fishing is to recognize the fisherman obtaining the highest gross weight of a catch consisting of a predetermined number of fish within a stated period. The gross total weight is computed from the predetermined number of fish established by the rules, five to ten typically define such number. Thus, the competitive fisherman is continually concerned with culling fish from the catch in his live well and retaining only the heaviest fish caught. As time goes on, the fisherman is continuing to add to his catch.
As the fish are reeled in, the fisherman typically uses a scale to weigh each fish and record the weight coupled with assigning a corresponding color code to each fish. Then, he attaches the appropriate colored tag and places the tagged fish in a live well. When the predetermined number is reached, the competitive fisherman must quickly determine whether any newly caught fish should be substituted for a previously caught fish or returned to the water to grow, or hopefully be caught by a competitor. That is, once the predetermined number is reached it is necessary for the fisherman, upon any new catches, to cull the lightest fish from the catch.
There are complex and expensive devices described in the prior art, as exemplified by the following patents, that may be of benefit to a competitive fishermen:
a) U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,855, to Stanfield et al., relates to an electronic scale and display device for weighing, coding and sequentially displaying data from a plurality of individually weighed fish, caught in a fishing competition, for example. The device includes a weighing circuit having a transducer which generates an electric signal in response to and indicative of an applied weight; PA1 b) U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,710, to Parker et al., relates to an electronic fish scale including a spring means and a variable resistor for displaying and storing the weight of a fish; PA1 c) U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,188, to Ewing, relates to a fishing rod including means in the handle thereof for measuring the length of a fish caught, and for weighing the fish; PA1 d) U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,174, to Letzo, relates to a light-duty fish weight scale connectable to a fishing rod, for example; and, PA1 e) U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,666, to Reder et al., relates to a portable, electronic fish scale.
The present invention is intended to provide the fisherman with an up to the minute reading on the predetermined number of heaviest fish caught, and to readily cull the lightest one with each new catch, all with an inexpensive and weather proof system. The manner by which this may be achieved will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.